Nov 30!

How could it be November 30th ALREADY!

It's time to get the Advent calendar out! Fill it with fortunes and treats. Time to dust off our Christmas reading!

I am still really reveling in a lovely Thanksgiving. Loved all the family and food, laughs and sports. I did not take enough family pictures! Not enough faces! I just forget. I enjoy the time and the people, I forget to get out the camera! I did take plenty of SPORTS pictures. I am getting good at that. (You can see the Turkey bowl pics....a few posts ago.)

Now, I must make up some math papers for Griffin; send e-mails off to friends, take a shower, clean and laundry, etc, etc.

Friday Hike

The day after Thanksgiving, Griffin got bored and suggested that we go on a hike! I googled hike in Sierra Madre and came up with the place! It turned out great. All that wanted to participate were me, Griffin and Dad. We had a better time that we anticipated. I'm so artsy

on the path!

Griffin liked the SPILT rock

We came upon this huge opening with a FABULOUS swing.
Griffin got to enjoy it to his heart's content.

There was glee and delight.

A VIDEO!

Griffin took this picture of dad on the swing

Griffin took this picture of me. I had no idea!

This would be a GREAT place for a family picture!

choice 2 for a family pic

An odd bug...can you spot it?

Griffin took this picture of us. He said he got close!

On the path

Which way to go??

We chose long and steep

but beautiful views!

that's LA!

Do you see the 210 freeway?

More of LA

Here is that beautiful clearing with the swing

I saw this tree; thought it would be funny/fun if Griffin would get up there on the limb and we could take his picture! He disagreed! I tried to force him; Kerry quickly grabbed the camera and took the picture. It was funny.

It was a great way to spend an hour and a half. I will definitely do it again!

A Clip from the 2010 Turkey Bowl

Turkey Bowl 2010!

All of the ONE HUNDRED...really 77 pictures are available here:

http://s484.photobucket.com/albums/rr209/thxhune/#!cpZZ5QQtppZZ16

Enjoy!

Success!

We had a lovely thanksgiving.

Great Turkey Bowl.

Fabulous food, family & friends!

Tremendous pictures will be posted later.

Griffin needs something physical to do...

Some of us are going on a hike.

Thanksgiving

It's a work in progress -

all this cooking & prep!

So are going well; I've had FABULOUS help!

We've made 6 dozen rolls; cinnamon rolls coming next!

Picture will follow when the battery is charged!

Shocking!

A few shocking things about this time of year:

During the HUGE time of cooking (thanksgiving food, regular food), I have been asked to Make 2 dozen cookies for a church activity and make a cake for extra credit at school!

On Wednesday, read big day of roll & jello making, I have to spend hours at school for a special thanksgiving program. I enjoy being at school with my child, but it is a little stressful when I should be home preparing food!

So, I will get from these shocking, yet true situations, I am thankful for:

a kitchen to cook in
great recipes to cook from
friends and teachers that feel that I am a great cook
an oven that works
Children that have good schools to go to
a car to drive me to the places I need to go
Legs that can walk or run me places also
Medication I can take in case I get a headache!
great sales this week at the grocery store

I also discovered how to make a quick shortcut for the "strike through" feature on Word! I love it. I'll share that later I don't have quite so much to do!

Be thankful!

Menu

Turkey

Ham

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Yams

Green Beans

Stuffing (maybe?)

Pomegranate Jello

Plain Jello

Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Silk Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Happy with that?

2010 from 1984

I made this pumpkin costume in 1984. I see we still have it in our costume box in 2010. I believe that only Christopher ever wore it...the timing and size never worked out for anyone else.
























Here is Christopher wearing that sweet, little costume!

And here is Christopher now, in 2010, getting his Master's Degree.

**Editor's Note on this Post:

Because I was going through old photos because of yesterday's "7 babies" post, I came across Christopher in his first Halloween costume! I had to scan that in. Then I remembered I had taken a picture of that costume his Halloween and knew I could do a post about those 2 pictures. I put up Christopher in his costume and search the computer over trying to find the picture I just took this Halloween and could NOT find it! I just saved the post and left the computer. While sleeping, I remembered where that picture was! Hooray! Then at the end of the post, I decided to put a current picture of Christopher. So, I started looking in August when he would have left for school...oh, yea, he is done with school, no leaving for school pictures. When was he home last?? It was hard to find a picture of just Christopher's face. Ok, be warned people, I am out hunting all my children with my camera. I will be snapping pictures like crazy! I need more of YOUR face.

**If the spacing is wrong, I give up....just enjoy whatever it is you see!

Circa 1983

Look what I found while going through old pictures.....
Notice the baby in the bottom of the picture....Christopher
GOOD LUCK, STEVEN!

Mother Said

A few of the things I said to my children this morning:

9 + 9 = 18...remember

Skateboard has a "K" in it!

What do you want for breakfast?

Wear long pants and a short sleeve shirt.

I love you!

Have a good day!

Good Luck on your CPA test!

As I went on my walk/run (3.68 miles) today, my brain was racing and one of the thoughts I had were that I was glad to be a mother. Who knew that on the same day I would be reminding one of my children about 9 + 9 and another child to do his best on his CPA test.

It's really the job I have always wanted. So, here are my thanks to my HUSBAND that makes this possible AND to our children. You are all loved, wanted, unique, precious, needed. You make me proud and happy to be known as "your" mother.

Here are all the babies!

Christopher and Steven

Chase...just new! And Chase a month later.

(Too much?)

Zak

Quinn then Kylie

Griffin

Scripture Power!

Not everyone thinks to bring their scriptures to Stonehenge!

Yes, I Remember it Well

Remember when we took this picture? We had a GREAT time!

A Little Primary Singing....

I got this post from Hannah Terrill's blog...Wouldn't It Be Nice.

If you are in primary, have primary children, have read the recent handbook for the LDS church, are in a major calling at church, you will enjoy this:

And church yesterday was fabulous. It was the ward Primary program, so instead of a regular Sunday service, the children in the congregation sing songs and give talks and cuteness abounds. And it was really inspiring. There are great kids in our ward, and great leaders. And the Primary president had us join in singing "I've Got Peace Like A River" with the kids, which is probably a little unorthodox because it's not a Primary song (ummm I'm not really sure what kind of song it is, but it is awesome), but I didn't care because there was nary a dry eye in the audience and it was the little boost I needed to get through the week. And then after the program was over my two Cub Scouts (who read parts that they wrote for the program) ran up to me with open arms yelling "Hannah! Hannah!" and I melted a little bit because maybe I am doing something right with the busyness that is my life.

I had the song stuck in my head most of the day, and I hummed it to myself on the way to work, and now I'm feeling a little better about what I thought would be a miserable Monday.




It kind of makes you giggle, right?
I love the fact that the CONGREGATION sang that. I love that it made Hannah feel happy and light. Isn't that what church is really all about? Sometimes it's the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law.

I'm Just Sayin'

Did you know that Christopher has some texting rules, and I have broken them on occasion? He doesn't like text responses like: k, ok, hmm

Sometimes I do it anyway because I think I'm funny.

This post is something like that. I don't really have anything to tell, but I thought you might enjoy a little update on what's going on here:

Our Ward's Primary program is tomorrow...

which means Kylie and Griffin should be practicing their parts.

I HAVE been practicing the piano! I have 12 songs to play. I play them fine; not perfect; but who likes the perfect person? People just like to make fun of the perfect person.

Griffin slept for 15 hours last night....after his sleep over

Kylie just won her soccer game

I ran 3.1 miles yesterday then started working on the pool and outside. I was very busy from end to end. While I was sleeping last night with a headache, I realized I never showered. It makes me laugh. Today, when I got dressed to do more manual labor, I put them same clothes on. I will really appreciate my shower...

We are going to have homemade chicken nuggets; baked and homemade coleslaw for dinner. Hope it is good; all new recipes.

Last night we had, among other things, biscuits with homemade jam. It was SO GOOD! (Thanks Heather).

Oh, did you know Quinn is on the AHS soccer team?

Zak is at Missionary for a Day today.

I still have a lot to do, including a hair cut for Dad, but I will go shower now.

This is me telling you stuff.

hmmm

Good Choice

I would just like to say...NICE PICK - Chase, Zak and me!
We were the only ones to pick the Falcons to beat the Ravens in our Pigskin Pickem'

Where Have They All Gone?

We have SEVEN children, but none are home tonight! First time in 27 years!! Christopher: living in Colorado

Steven: married to Heather...they have other quarters

Chase: school, Provo, BYU

Zak: scout overnight

Quinn: scout overnight

Kylie: overnight at friends

Griffin: overnight at friends

hmmm....it will all be back to normal tomorrow!

Gardening Today

It was accidental gardening today....

We didn't mean to, but as we walked into the backyard, I showed Griffin and Kylie just how easy it was to pull up some grass/weeds. It was so easy, we stayed out and the continued to work for hours! We had GREAT rewards, though. While weeding, this is what I discovered: These are RASPBERRIES at the top of my raspberry plant! (The top of the plant has fallen to the ground...I have since wrapped it back up and around the rod iron fence.) I was shocked to see them. I quickly picked one and ate it. It was DELICIOUS!

While I was at it; I took a few more pictures of other treasures in my NOVEMBER garden:
We have oodles of tomatoes! Anyone want to can them? Please do.
Look at the BEAUTIFUL zinnia!

Hard, to see, but that is Kylie standing and looking at a DAHLIA that is taller than her! The dahlia belongs to Francis Laidlaw.

Back to my yard....this is a Cosmo

Kylie discovered her CARROT was ready to pick and eat!

It was delicious too! Kylie took this picture of herself. She is quite the poser.

Nice shot of the carrot:

Marigolds that I planted from a SEED!

After many hours of working, Kylie and I have now planted seeds for two different types of lettuce, broccoli, carrots, pole beans, pansies. Some should be sprouting in a week!

It's nice to live in Southern California.